Carbureting method.



T. n. 'sonoma CARBURETING METHOD.

APLICATION FILED NOV. I3. i912.

Patentedept 21, 1915.

UTE

TURNER D. BOTTOME, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

f CARBURETING METHOD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. ai, fait.

Application filed November 13, 1912. Serial No. 731,104.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, TURNER D. Bo'r'roME, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Carbureting Method, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide a carbureting method whereby carburation may be more perfectly produced and lower grades of fuel, such as kerosene and other comparatively heavy liquid hydrocarbons, may be used.

F undamentally my improved method comprises the heating of the fuel to a point just short of ebullition at atmospheric pressure,

and preferably also heating to substantially the same temperature the air to be mixed with such fuel, and then atomizing the fuel into the air and at about the same time reducing the pressure, as by thesuction ofthe associated engine. The reduction in pressure produced the volatilization of the fuel, which being in gaseous form mixes more readily and perfectly with the air. Furthermore, my method contemplates the discharging of the fuel at high speed through an orice in its passage to the air to be cai'- bureted, and this high speed is obtained by picking up the fuel in a comparatively very small quantity of air which is discharged at high speed through such orifice and on into the main \body of the air to be carbureted, so that the fuel is carried with this small quantity of air through such orifice at the high speed obtained by the air. As high a speed is not obtained by the discharge of the liquid fuel itself through such orifice, probably because of the difference in action of compressible and non-compressible fiuidst This high speed discharge of the fuel, together with the small quantity of air mixed Y with it, produces a very ne sub-division of the fuel, and this fine sub-division facilitates the volatilization referred to. The heating of the air and fuel is conveniently obtained by the exhaust gases from the associated engine, and is controlled, as by a thermostat, in accordance with the temperature within the carbureting apparatus. An electric heating coil may be provided in the fuel supply passage, for heating the liquid fuel to the desired temperature, especially during initial operation. Also, there may be an electric heating coil for the volatilized fuel, this latter heating coil serving to crack the hydrocarbon fuel to produce a gas (oil gas) which does not condense at ordinary temperatures and also supplying heat to counterbalance the heat absorption due to the latent heat of vaporization. The fuel and air supplied are controlled so that they are in volumetric proportion as they are varied to meet the requirements.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing illustrates my invention semi-diagrammatically, showing a vertical longitudinal section through a carbureting apparatus embodying it.

The base v of the carbureter casing has a central upward projection 1l on which is screwed an adjusting cap or sleeve 12 having an upwardly projecting outer flange 18 which fits against the inside of the cylindrical carbureter casing 14, said flange 13 and casing 14 being provided with coperating slots 15 and 16 which may be made to reg' ister to a greater or less extent by turning the sleeve 12 and its flange 13 by means of a handle 17. The sleeve or cap 12 extends over the' top of the projection 11, and at the top is provided with a central vdownwardly projecting needle point 18 which extends into the upper end of a central vertical fuel passage 19 in the projection 11. The opera.- ti'on of the handle 17 raises and lowers the needle point 18,-thereby varying the fuel supply, as well as the air supply through the slots 15 and 16. A small chamber 21 is left between the upper end of the projection 11 and the under side of the top of the cap 12, to which chamber air may be supplied through small passages 22 in the projection 11 and base 10; the passage 22 may be provided with a cut-ofi'l valve 22', though to get the best results it is necessary to have this valve open. The top of the cap 12 is provided with a series of small openings or orifices 23, which connect the chamber 21 with the interior of an upwardly flaring sleeve 24, conveniently supported from the casing 14 by being connected thereto by integral bridging arms and having a close sliding lit on the sleeve or cap 12. The upper and larger end of the sleeve 24 is narrowly spaced from the casing 14 to cause the passage of air around the sleeve to be at: increased speed. The top of the sleeve 24 may be covered by a fine mesh wire screen 26, which serves both to screen out any possible solid particles and to prevent fiashing back to the fuel supply in case of explosion in the ziov upper part of the casing 14. The slot 16 and the passage 22 both open outwardly into a chamber 30, to which air is supplied through a tube 31 in a heater 32. Fuel, such as gasolene or kerosene, or even lower grades of liquid hydrocarbon, is supplied to the passage 19 through a pipe 33 which also extends through the heater 32. This heater is connected to the exhaust conduit 34 of the associated engine, such connection being controlled by a valve 35 connected in any suitable manner, as by a link 36, to a thermostat 37 mounted within casing 14. This thermostat conveniently encircles the sleeve 24, being spaced therefrom and from the casing 14 so that it may operate freely upon changes in temperature.

In operation, the air supply to the chamberv 30 and the fuel supply to the fuel passage 19 are both heated, by the hot gases passing through the heater 32, to a temperature just short of the point at which ebullition of the fuel occurs at the pressure to which the fuel is subjected, which with the fuel in an open container will be atmospheric pressure. If the valve 22 is open, part of the heated air passes at high speed 'through the passage 22 into the chamber 21. The suction of the associated engine also draws the heated fuel through the passage 19 into this chamber 21, where it is atomized as it passes around the needle point 18. The ineness of atomizing is increased by the speed of the air supplied through the passage 22 if the Valve 22 is open, and this valve should be open to obtain the full advantage of my invention, as already stated. The atomized fuel, together with the small quantity of air supplied through the passage 22 if the valve 22 is open, no-w passes at high speed through the openings or orifices 23 to the interior of the sleeve 24, where, because of the high speed the atomized fuel is subdivided much more nely, and because the pressure is very considerably less than that of the atmosphere and because of the fine subdivision of tle fuel, the atomized fuel is readily volatilized. Some volatilization may take place in the chamber 19. This volatilized fuel, mixed with the small quantity of air supplied to the chamber 19, now passes through the screen 26, and above such screen is mixed with the main body of air supplied through-the slot-s 15 and 16 and passing upward at high speed around the outside of the sleeve 24. The admission of air through the passage 22 to the chamber 19 is to make the speed at which the fuel passes through the openings 23 greater than it would be if no air accompaniedV it, as I have found in practice that such is the case. As this air is heated, the volatilized fuel is net condensed upon being mixed therewith. This mixture of heated air and volatilized fuel, passes from the top of the casing 14 to the engine, where it is exploded in the usual manner. Because of the heat of the mixture supplied to the engine, the energy created by the explosion is practically all used to produce engine movement, practically none of it being required for the purpose of bringing the air and fuel to the combustion point; and because of the intimate mixture of the aii` and fuel, due to the ineness of subdivision of the fuel and the completeness of its volatilization, the combustion is more complete and rapid, and more available energy is produced, than is otherwise the case. If the temperature within the casing 14 departs from its predetermined proper value, the thermostat 37 flexes in one direction or the other to open or close the valve 35 somewhat, to admit more or less of the exhaust gases from the engine into the heater 32. Thus the temperature of the fuel and' air is maintained at the proper point, just short of the volatilization temperature of the fuel at atmospheric pressure. e By turning the handle 17 in one direction or the other, the air and fuel supply vary in volumetric proportion, the slots 15 and 16 being made to register to a greater or less extent and the point 18 to project different distances into the upper end of the fuel passage 19. In order to prevent the creation of a vacuum under the lower end of the cap or sleeve 12, the web connecting the central part of said cap with the flange 13 is conveniently provided with a number' of passages 40, which allow air to pass between the top and the bottom of such web as the cap moves up or down. This materially facilitates the operation of the handle 17.

In order to regulate thel ratio between the air and fuel, if necessary, a ring 41 encircles the casing 14 just above the slot 16, and is provided with inclined or helical portions 42, fitting in suitable notches or slots in the walls of the chamber 30. When the ring 41 is turned by its operating handle 43 it will be moved axially of the 'casing 14 to vary the effective width of the slots 16.

An electric heating coil 45 may be mounted in the fuel passage 19, especially to provide for the initial heating of the fuel. One side of such coil is grounded on the base `10, which is provided with a binding post 46 for con nection to one side of a battery 47; and the other side of such coil is connected to a binding post 48, which may be connected, through a switch 49, tothe other side of such battery 47. When starting the engine, the switch 49 may be closed to cause the coil 4 5 to heat the fuel in the passage 19 until the exhaust gases from the engine have been heated sufficiently to produce the desired heating in the heater 32. Ordinarily, the switch 49 is opened as soon as the heater 32 has become effective.

l which the fuel absorbed by reason of the latent heat of" vaporization. This eff'ectually prevents the volatilization of part of the fuel from cooling the remainder sufficiently to cause condensation. Moreover, and I find in practice that this is most important, by maklng the coil 50 hot enough, cracking of the passing hydrocarbon fuel s produced, whereby oil gas is obtained Which remains permanently in gaseous form at temperatures Where the fuel before cracking Would be condensed. This permanency of gaseous form prevents the mixture of air and fuel from becoming poorer on its .Way to the engine, and this produces stronger explosions in the engine.

I claim as my invention:

l. The method of carbureting air, Which comprises heating air and liquid fuel to a temperature just short of the point at Which ebullition of the fuel occurs at the pressure to Which the fuel is subjected, reducing the pressure on the fuel to produce volatilization, heating the volatilized fuelto counterbalance the heat absorption due to the latent heat of jvaporzation, and mixing the volatilized fuel With the heated air. l

2. The method of carbureting air, Which comprises heating liquid fuel to a temperature just short of the point at which ebullition of the fuel occurs at the pressure to Whihthe fuel is subjected, reducing the pressure on the fuel to produce volatilization, heating the volatilized fuel to counterbalance the heat absorption due to the latent heat of vaporization, and mixing the volatilized fuel With air.

3.` The method of carbureting air, which comprises heating air and liquid fuel to a temperature just short of the point at which ebullition of the fuel occurs at the pressure to which the fuel is subjected, reducing the pressure on the fuel to produce volatilization, and mixing the volatilized fuel With the heated air.

4. The method of carbureting air, which comprises heating liquid fuel to a temperature just short of the point at which ebullition of the fuel occurs at the pressure to is subjected, reducing the pressure on the fuel to produce volatilization, and mixing the volatilized fuel With a1r.

5. The method of carbureting air, which comprises heating air and liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a temperature just short of the point at Which ebullition of the fuel occurs at the pressure to which the fuel is subjected, reducing the pressure on the fuel to produce volatilization, heating the volatilized fuel to a sufiiciently high temperature to produce cracking ofthe hydrocarbon fuel, and mixing the volatilized fuel With the heated alr.

6. The method of carbureting air, Which comprises heating liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a temperature just short of the point at which ebullition of the fuel occurs at the pressure to which the fuel is subjected, re-

ducing the pressure on the fuel to produce1 volatilization, heating the volatilized fuel to a sufhciently high temperature to produce cracking ofthe hydrocarbon fuel, and mixing the volatilized fuel with air.

7. The method of carbureting air, which comprises discharging a comparatively small quantity of air at high speed through an orifice and on into thefmain body of air to be carbureted, picking up liquid hydrocarbon fuel ii said small quantity of air before the latter is discharged through such orifice, so that the fuel passes through such orifice at high speed, and heating the fuel and the small quantity of air after they are discharged from such orifice but before they are mixed With the main body of the air to be carbureted.

8. The method of carbureting air, which consists in discharging liquid hydrocarbon fuel into a comparatively small stream of air, discharging the mixture of air and liquid fuel thus produced through an orifice at high speed and into a much larger stream of air, and heating the mixture of the fuel with the small stream of air after such'mixture has been discharged from such orifice but before it reachesthe larger stream of air.

9. The method of carbureting air, which comprises discharging a, comparatively small quantity of air at high speed through an orifice and on into the main body of air to be carbureted, picking up liquid hydrocarbon fuel in said small quantity of air before the latter is discharged through such orifice, so that the fuel-*passes through such orifice at high speed, and heating the fuel to a sufficiently high temperature to produce cracking of the -fuel after such fuel is discharged from such orifice and before it is mixed with the main body of air to be carbureted.`

l0. Themethod of carbureting air, which consists in discharging liquid hydrocarbon the fuel with the small stream of air to a suiciently jhigh temperature to produce cracking of the fuel after such mixture has been discharged from such orifice but before it reaches the larger stream of air.

11. The method of carbureting air, which consists in discharging liquid hydrocarbon fuel into a comparatively small stream of air, then immediately discharging the mixture of air and liquid fuel thus produced through an orifice at high speed and into a much larger stream of air and heating the mixture of the fuel with the small stream of air to a sufficiently high temperature to produce cracking of the fuel after such mixture has been discharged from such orifice but before it reaches the larger stream of au'.

Inl Witness whereof, I have hereunto s'et my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indlana,

this 4th day of November, A. D.` one thou-` sand nine hundred and twelve.

TURNER 1).BOTTOME. [L 5.] Witnesses:

TIBBITS R. Bo'rToME,

G. B. SCHLEY. 

